Award 2007 Barringer Medal for Christian Koeberl

Meteoritics & Planetary Science 42, Nr 8, Supplement, A7–A9 (2007) http://meteoritics.org

The Barringer Medal and Award are bestowed by the Meteoritical Society for outstanding work in the field of impact cratering and/or work that has led to a better understanding of impact phenomena. This year the award goes to Christian Koeberl, and I cannot imagine any other colleague in the impact cratering community who deserves this award more. What do you think when you hear the name “Christian Koeberl”? Scientist extraordinaire and prolific publisher? Tireless researcher and e-mail addict? Bon vivant? Collector of rare African masks, historic maps, and first edition books? Gourmet cook, wine aficionado, generous host? Art and music lover? Do these terms describe this complex character sufficiently? I have known Christian for twenty years and am still amazed at his multifaceted personality and interests. However, here he is cited for his achievements as a scientist and university teacher. Born (1959) and bred (ever since) in Vienna, he became fascinated by natural sciences early in his school years (his voracious appetite—also for the devouring of books—has not abated since), and this prime interest was nurtured by some excellent teachers. It was further fuelled by the exciting space exploration events of the 1970s; astronomy soon became a prime hobby. Initially at the Technical University in Vienna, Christian began studies to prepare a career as an applied chemist but in 1980 took up majors in astronomy and chemistry, studies completed in 1983 at the University of Graz with a dissertation about the Christian Koeberl. geochemistry of impact glasses. This topic allowed him to combine his dual interests in chemistry and astronomy. that I could be instrumental to this achievement, as the groom Needless to say that both his Ph.D. dissertation and required steady assistance with his bow tie in order to subsequent rigorosum were rated first class. From 1983– complete the due process. With Dona on his side, Christian— 1985, Christian carried out several cosmochemical research if at all possible—became even more successful and projects at the Institute for Analytical Chemistry of the productive (perhaps because of the occasional retreat to Villa University of Vienna and then became Assistant Professor at Koeberl in Coldigioco?). Undoubtedly, she deserves to be the University of Vienna. He also participated in a highly congratulated on this award as well. successful expedition to Antarctica. A second dissertation During the intervening years, our awardee went from (habilitation) in the field of geo- and cosmochemistry was strength to strength, receiving several other major awards. His completed in 1990 and that same year he was tenured. Several incredible application, tenacity, and strength of will, his overseas stays as visiting scientist or professor took him to the ability to seek out new research avenues and methods, and to Lunar and Planetary Institute, to the Carnegie Institution, enter numerous productive collaborations extending back to University of the Witwatersrand, Dartmouth College, and the his early career produced an amazing research output. This, in Open University. In 1998, Christian was appointed Associate turn, yielded, inter alia, the prestigious Start Prize of the Professor in the Institute of Geochemistry. Another Austrian Federal Government in 1996 and the Novartis benchmark event was reached in 1999 when Christian Award for Chemistry in 1997. These two generous awards Koeberl and Dona Jalufka were married. I am happy to report allowed Christian to travel widely for on-site research and

A7 © The Meteoritical Society, 2007. Printed in USA. A8 Award worldwide collaboration, but primarily to gain experience in fascinated by the formation of tektites, and he has applied a top laboratories and from first-rate research groups. He also series of state-of-the-art techniques to the microscopic and was able to completely rebuild his own analytical facility and submicroscopic analysis of these enigmatic glasses. Impact add to the neutron activation analytical lab a stable isotope melts investigated by him range from the geologically facility—further broadening his already wide-ranging relatively young tektites to the Archean and Proterozoic interests and activities. Other important honors and awards “spherule layers.” I cannot think of any aspect of the include election as a Fellow of the Meteoritical Society analytical investigation of impactites where Christian and his (1994), Fellow of the Geological Society of South Africa postgraduate students have not contributed essential (2000), and Member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences knowledge. (2006). Christian Koeberl’s service to the impact (and the wider But what makes Christian Koeberl the outstanding scientific) community is too extensive to be discussed in scientist who deserves the Barringer Medal and Award? detail. He has served, often as chair or secretary, on numerous There are four areas that need to be emphasized: his research panels and committees of the European Science Foundation endeavors and successes, his service to the impact cratering (ESF), UNESCO, the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the community, his continuing promotion of the importance of Meteoritical Society, ICDP, and DOSECC. He has been impact cratering among scientists and the general public, and, particularly influential in the leadership of the second phase finally, his many efforts to train postgraduate students from of the successful ESF IMPACT program. In 1989, early in his highly diverse backgrounds. Regarding Christian’s research career, he hosted the Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical activities, there are two main thrusts paramount within his Society in Vienna, which, I believe, is still the largest MetSoc work: the investigation of impact cratering related processes conference ever held. Since then he has contributed to the through detailed and multidisciplinary physical-chemical- organization of a host of other conferences, workshops, and mineralogical-geological investigations of the products of symposia. impact, and the testing of new methodologies that can be Despite all these involvements and interests, Christian applied in these investigations. He has made important throughout his career has been a dedicated and truly prolific contributions to our knowledge of a large number of impact publisher of his research results. He has, as of June 2007, structures, sometimes contributing to the confirmation of published no fewer than 3 books and 308 scientific articles, their origins. He has been instrumental in conceiving of and with about 140 of these listing him as principal author. What carrying to fruition a number of comprehensive impact- is more, he has edited a further 6 books and published related projects, including several International Continental numerous popular articles that served to promote impact Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) drilling projects cratering widely. Christian is also a true convert to e-mailism. (Bosumtwi, where he was lead PI, Chesapeake Bay, for which Wherever this frequent flyer happens to be, he does find a he is one of four PIs, and the imminent El’gygytgyn project way to correspond instantaneously with his many friends and with Christian as one of the PIs, as well as the earlier colleagues. comprehensive drilling project of the Manson structure). His Despite his prolific research and publication activities, work has not been limited to the study of impact structures; he Christian has always been supportive of the scientific has also extensively contributed to the investigations of community, be it as a member of editorial boards (including terrestrial mass extinction horizons (including the late Meteoritics & Planetary Science, Geochimica et Eocene, K-Pg, Tr-J, and P-Tr strata), of meteorites and lunar Cosmochima Acta, Geology, and Geochemical Journal), or rocks, Antarctic meteorite field studies, snowball earth issues, frequent reviewer. He is currently serving on many science and a whole range of other geoscientific and environmental boards and has been a frequent member of panel discussions science issues. While his heart has always been in impact and an invited speaker at conferences. He is outspoken and cratering research first, he has accumulated a wealth of does not hesitate to deliver incisive analysis—thereby knowledge about a significant sector of other current research managing to often move discussion to the next level. thrusts, and whenever appropriate or convenient, he has Special mention must be made of his extensive effort in linked up with other groups to investigate himself or train support of collaborations with Eastern European scientists, students in such subjects as well. and his support as lecturer, supervisor, and friend of his A further interest of Christian’s is the African impact postgraduate students—many of whom have originated from cratering record, and one for which we have enjoyed many developing countries (including Ethiopia, Uganda, Ghana, forays into Africa together. Considering the analytical Zambia, Vietnam, and Mongolia). This has led to a valuable methodology available to the impact worker, Christian has on transfer of scientific and technical knowledge, and continuing several occasions been at the forefront of application of new association of some of these countries with state-of-the-art techniques, such as his pioneering work in application of the research programs. Re-Os isotope method for the recognition of impact I have to conclude on a personal note. Since Christian projectiles. Since his student days, Christian has been and I met at the (in)famous Cryptoexplosion and Catastrophes Award A9 in the Geological Record workshop in 1987, we have events. Through his collaborations, publications, and other collaborated closely and become the best of friends. Christian activities, he has helped to make impact geology a rigorous has to no small degree fertilized my own research activities and respected discipline, and he has contributed greatly to with data, ideas, and discussion, for which I am hugely bringing the field into the mainstream of current earth grateful. We have had great expeditions, feasts, and lots of science.” For this, Christian Koeberl deserves the Barringer good fun, and occasional arguments that—as it should be Medal and Award, and I am honored to have been able to among friends—never lasted to the next day. I am sure that prepare this citation for this outstanding scientist and my there are others who join me in thanking Christian for his close friend. friendship, generosity, and entertaining character. Bevan French has found the right words when he said, Wolf Uwe Reimold “Christian Koeberl has carried out important specialized Museum for Natural History studies on such [diverse] impact phenomena as post-impact Humboldt University hydrothermal phenomena and diamond formation in impact Berlin, Germany